Maine Gov: Obama “Hates White People”

Maine Gov. Paul LePage is one of the coarsest bits of flotsam washed ashore in the 2010 Tea Party wave election. He’s often found comparing IRS agents to Gestapo and joking about sodomy as punishment. But this is something even for him. According to the Portland Press Herald, at a fundraiser last week, the Gov. told Republican supporters that President Obama “hates white people.”It was a private event. And there appears to be no recording. But two Republican lawmakers, who asked that their names be withheld for fear of political retribution, confirmed LePage’s comment when asked directly. Others who spoke on the record said they had no memory of him saying, were distracted or simply refused to comment.

Two Republican lawmakers confirmed the comment when asked directly by a Press Herald reporter, but asked that their names be withheld for fear of political retribution. Each said LePage talked about how Obama could have been the best president ever if he highlighted his biracial heritage. But, LePage said, the president hasn’t done that because he hates white people.

“Yeah, he said it,” said one lawmaker. “It was one little thing from a speech, but I think most people there thought it was totally inappropriate.”

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One of the lawmakers who confirmed the comments said he supports the governor’s policies but is tired of being asked to defend controversial statements.